Conservation, according to Oxford Languages, is “the prevention of wasteful use of a resource. There are two applications: preservation, protection, or restoration of the natural environment and wildlife, and preservation and repair of archaeological, historical, and cultural sites and artifacts.”
Even though we are in the business of conservation, we don’t interact with wildlife daily – we usually leave the other kind of conservation to scientists and naturalists. When Elmer the (ceramic) giraffe needed treatment in our laboratories, we knew we were in for a treat! Standing as tall as a person, this playful sculpture was a welcome guest in the warehouse where he first arrived.
Elmer the giraffe, after arriving at The Center.
Elmer was made by Sergio Bustamante, a Mexican artist and sculptor who initially studied architecture at the University of Guadalajara before beginning to experiment with paintings and paper mache figures.
The artist’s signature.
His work is bright and playful, best known for his depictions of animals and fantastical, eerily human creatures. A glance at his work will show you kittens hatching out of an egg, the bust of a woman with snails for hair, or a man wearing a bird suit, covered in feathers.
Some of the artists’ fantastical works.
This piece came to us after getting into what could have been a tussle on the safari: it’s tail was fractured, with another fracture above its right knee. Inside of its leg, the layer of paint was cracking, with minor scratches on the outer edges of its hooves. There were also minor abrasions to the varnish layer around its legs and a light dust and grime layer overall.
Though mostly disguised by his pattern, the cracks on this piece are visible.
With Elmer in need of care, our Objects and Sculpture Department got to work. First, the fractured areas were stabilized with appropriate conservation-grade adhesives. Then, it’s surface was cleaned with an aqueous solution. Break lines were filled and smoothed as best as possible to disguise the fractures, and the fills were inpainted.
After treatment, any previous damage is almost completely imperceptible.
With gentle handling (and lots of acacia leaves) Elmer will continue to bring joy for years to come!
Elmer after treatment, ready to return to his owners.
Sources:
https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/conservation
https://www.coleccionsergiobustamante.com.mx/index.php?language=en
http://www.artnet.com/artists/sergio-bustamante-2/4
